Shannon O’Mac
@shannonomac.bsky.social
Physician. Parent. Your weird queer aunt in the woods (Upstate NY).
Mostly thinking about birds, trees, and dirt.
I love the library. 📚
(Not medical advice)
Mostly thinking about birds, trees, and dirt.
I love the library. 📚
(Not medical advice)
While the kids were trick or treating last night, I did some landscaping research with the Seek plant identifier. Found a lovely witch hazel! 🧙
🙄Kids: eye roll. “Mom, stop looking at the shrubbery!”
🙄Kids: eye roll. “Mom, stop looking at the shrubbery!”
November 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM
While the kids were trick or treating last night, I did some landscaping research with the Seek plant identifier. Found a lovely witch hazel! 🧙
🙄Kids: eye roll. “Mom, stop looking at the shrubbery!”
🙄Kids: eye roll. “Mom, stop looking at the shrubbery!”
I’ve been having fun experimenting with 1 page zines. Kids also into it. A great creative outlet!
November 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I’ve been having fun experimenting with 1 page zines. Kids also into it. A great creative outlet!
Today in porch bird drama - there were hundreds of starlings chirping from the trees.
When I came outside to walk the dog, they flew up into the sky into a murmuration. 😯
When I came outside to walk the dog, they flew up into the sky into a murmuration. 😯
October 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Today in porch bird drama - there were hundreds of starlings chirping from the trees.
When I came outside to walk the dog, they flew up into the sky into a murmuration. 😯
When I came outside to walk the dog, they flew up into the sky into a murmuration. 😯
Today’s wildflower floof - milkweed! Got some help from one of the kids.
The pods are so fun to crack open and the seed floof is so soft! 😍
The pods are so fun to crack open and the seed floof is so soft! 😍
October 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Today’s wildflower floof - milkweed! Got some help from one of the kids.
The pods are so fun to crack open and the seed floof is so soft! 😍
The pods are so fun to crack open and the seed floof is so soft! 😍
Got to spend some time this morning on the porch saving aster seeds.
The fluffity-fluff was so satisfying to pinch out of the dried flower heads.
(I think there’s a way to winnow the seeds from the fluff, but I’m not that fancy and that’s ok)
The fluffity-fluff was so satisfying to pinch out of the dried flower heads.
(I think there’s a way to winnow the seeds from the fluff, but I’m not that fancy and that’s ok)
October 19, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Got to spend some time this morning on the porch saving aster seeds.
The fluffity-fluff was so satisfying to pinch out of the dried flower heads.
(I think there’s a way to winnow the seeds from the fluff, but I’m not that fancy and that’s ok)
The fluffity-fluff was so satisfying to pinch out of the dried flower heads.
(I think there’s a way to winnow the seeds from the fluff, but I’m not that fancy and that’s ok)
Good morning from the porch! It’s a bird party out there today.
Also spotted: a quiet red tailed hawk, and a starling pretending to be a red tailed hawk.
Also spotted: a quiet red tailed hawk, and a starling pretending to be a red tailed hawk.
October 12, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Good morning from the porch! It’s a bird party out there today.
Also spotted: a quiet red tailed hawk, and a starling pretending to be a red tailed hawk.
Also spotted: a quiet red tailed hawk, and a starling pretending to be a red tailed hawk.
Merlin says they like to hang out together, so maybe it is a real red wing. 🤷🏻
October 3, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Merlin says they like to hang out together, so maybe it is a real red wing. 🤷🏻
It’s goldenrod and aster season! 😍
The black walnuts are starting to drop.
I love fall.
The black walnuts are starting to drop.
I love fall.
September 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM
It’s goldenrod and aster season! 😍
The black walnuts are starting to drop.
I love fall.
The black walnuts are starting to drop.
I love fall.
I just realized that I’ve turned into a real life Dykes to Watch Out For character. No regrets.
September 17, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I just realized that I’ve turned into a real life Dykes to Watch Out For character. No regrets.
I used the C.D.C. guidelines page to prescribe doxyPEP recently, and was surprised to see an executive temper tantrum posted at the top.
We live in truly remarkable times.
We live in truly remarkable times.
September 4, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I used the C.D.C. guidelines page to prescribe doxyPEP recently, and was surprised to see an executive temper tantrum posted at the top.
We live in truly remarkable times.
We live in truly remarkable times.
5 alarm fire at the C.D.C. 🔥
As a physician, a parent, and a citizen, I am very worried about the long term consequences of what’s happening at C.D.C. right now.
Destroying public health infrastructure is incredibly dangerous for all of us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...
As a physician, a parent, and a citizen, I am very worried about the long term consequences of what’s happening at C.D.C. right now.
Destroying public health infrastructure is incredibly dangerous for all of us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...
September 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
5 alarm fire at the C.D.C. 🔥
As a physician, a parent, and a citizen, I am very worried about the long term consequences of what’s happening at C.D.C. right now.
Destroying public health infrastructure is incredibly dangerous for all of us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...
As a physician, a parent, and a citizen, I am very worried about the long term consequences of what’s happening at C.D.C. right now.
Destroying public health infrastructure is incredibly dangerous for all of us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...
The present moment is dangerous & overwhelming.
But we still get wildflowers.
But we still get wildflowers.
August 30, 2025 at 6:22 PM
The present moment is dangerous & overwhelming.
But we still get wildflowers.
But we still get wildflowers.
I was blessed with a gorgeous cool day and a lovely hike in the woods! Touching grass does work.
August 30, 2025 at 12:08 AM
I was blessed with a gorgeous cool day and a lovely hike in the woods! Touching grass does work.
Just started the Lumberjanes comic book series. What a delight!!
August 27, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Just started the Lumberjanes comic book series. What a delight!!
Oh hey look! It’s a monarch caterpillar on a milkweed!
August 4, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Oh hey look! It’s a monarch caterpillar on a milkweed!
I’m having a hard time finding media that meets the moment.
This podcast is a delightful find - I started it from the beginning and love Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s stories about wildlife & humanity.
Highly recommend 👍🏻👍🏻
This podcast is a delightful find - I started it from the beginning and love Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s stories about wildlife & humanity.
Highly recommend 👍🏻👍🏻
July 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I’m having a hard time finding media that meets the moment.
This podcast is a delightful find - I started it from the beginning and love Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s stories about wildlife & humanity.
Highly recommend 👍🏻👍🏻
This podcast is a delightful find - I started it from the beginning and love Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s stories about wildlife & humanity.
Highly recommend 👍🏻👍🏻
Tonight’s birds heard from the porch: Chipping Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole.
July 12, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Tonight’s birds heard from the porch: Chipping Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole.
Murdering harmful plants is a great outlet for existential rage.
Today in plants to murder: burdock! This complete asshole reproduces by seeds hidden in extremely sticky burrs. Ugh. The worst.
More info on how to ID & kill it here:
www.montana.edu/extension/br...
Today in plants to murder: burdock! This complete asshole reproduces by seeds hidden in extremely sticky burrs. Ugh. The worst.
More info on how to ID & kill it here:
www.montana.edu/extension/br...
July 6, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Murdering harmful plants is a great outlet for existential rage.
Today in plants to murder: burdock! This complete asshole reproduces by seeds hidden in extremely sticky burrs. Ugh. The worst.
More info on how to ID & kill it here:
www.montana.edu/extension/br...
Today in plants to murder: burdock! This complete asshole reproduces by seeds hidden in extremely sticky burrs. Ugh. The worst.
More info on how to ID & kill it here:
www.montana.edu/extension/br...
Omg a BOBCAT just walked out of the woods across my back yard. 😳
Extremely chill creature. Looked for a woodchuck snack under a shed. Sauntered along the edge of the woods for a bit, then casually looked at me before going back into the forest.
Here is a comically terrible photo:
Extremely chill creature. Looked for a woodchuck snack under a shed. Sauntered along the edge of the woods for a bit, then casually looked at me before going back into the forest.
Here is a comically terrible photo:
June 27, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Omg a BOBCAT just walked out of the woods across my back yard. 😳
Extremely chill creature. Looked for a woodchuck snack under a shed. Sauntered along the edge of the woods for a bit, then casually looked at me before going back into the forest.
Here is a comically terrible photo:
Extremely chill creature. Looked for a woodchuck snack under a shed. Sauntered along the edge of the woods for a bit, then casually looked at me before going back into the forest.
Here is a comically terrible photo:
Backyard berry season is here!!!
June 26, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Backyard berry season is here!!!
The Turkey Vultures are here! Silently surfing blue sky.
June 24, 2025 at 1:51 PM
The Turkey Vultures are here! Silently surfing blue sky.
Today’s birds on the porch report: 🪶
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Warbling Vireo
Orchard Oriole
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Warbling Vireo
Orchard Oriole
European Starling
June 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Today’s birds on the porch report: 🪶
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Warbling Vireo
Orchard Oriole
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Northern Cardinal
Warbling Vireo
Orchard Oriole
European Starling
Made it to the strawberry U pick this week! 😋
June 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Made it to the strawberry U pick this week! 😋
Morning Merlin on the porch! I love the song sparrows’ and the warbling vireos’ songs 🤩
June 11, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Morning Merlin on the porch! I love the song sparrows’ and the warbling vireos’ songs 🤩